Home
by rheiaxedward
Summary: Aliana has never felt like she belonged... She read the Harry Potter books when she was young and dreamed off escaping from her life to atttend the imaginary magic school of Hogwarts. But her letter doesn't arrive - until 4th year! Second Gen.
1. Introduction

**A/N: Okay, this is just the Exposition-y part... I set it up in a sort of weird format, but do not worry the rest of the chapters will be in a normal story format instead of an overview... This chapter is not the greatest... but bare with me. Harry Potter books exist in the muggle world, most accept it as fiction, just go with it, don't question it. No flames please! :)**

She read the Harry Potter books, some of them repeatedly. She pretended she was at Hogwarts when she was young, enveloped in a complex dream scenario that she tried to desperately convince herself was real. As her 11th birthday approached, excitement bubbled within her, and she dared to cautiously let her hopes soar, knowing that it was completely impossible but maybe – just maybe – **it **would happen. Her 11th birthday came and went. Then her 12th, then her 13th. And just when the dust was heavily weighing down on those forgotten books in the corner, and she had finally banished all hope in her mind of receiving an escape from the life she lived, it arrived. Late.

Aliana was born into a large, small family, as much of an oxymoron as that might seem. Her family was large because she was born the youngest, and the 7th member of the Walker family, but small because her parents and grandparents were only children, and her grandparents had died long before she was born, leaving her without cousins, grandparents, or relatives of any other kind apart from her immediate family. She moved frequently while growing up, leaving her with little to no childhood friends, with only her older brothers and sisters to keep her company. There was no escape from her family's world. Growing up, there was also the growing feeling inside of Aliana that she didn't belong. She was unlike her brothers and sisters in everyway possible, and them being her only friends and family made her feel horribly out of place. Her eldest brother and sister teased her mightily, and this lowered her self-esteem mightily, only emphasizing this feeling that she had no where to belong. This all changed the moment the letter arrived, by owl, followed by a personal visit from Professor McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts.

Basically, she was different. Weird. Strange. The letter hadn't formulated and been signed and sent until now, what would be Aliana's fourth year at Hogwarts starting this September. Magic never made mistakes, but in the case of Aliana, for some unknown reason, it appeared magic had. The Ministry was curious as to why such an anomaly had occurred, and were curious to see what lay in store for the mysterious witch who received her letter late. This is the story of finding your own home, and feeling that you finally belong.

**A/N: The next chapter should be up soon, in regular format. If you haven't guessed it yet, this story is slightly based off of the AVPS' song, To Have A Home.**


	2. Arrival at Hogwarts: Part 1

**A/N: Next chapter! I'm on a role... Okay, sorry for the random references in this, I simply could not resist. Oh yeah, Disclaimer!**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, I would be rich enough to build the dam (beaver type, of course, hence the spelling) school, and attend there. But seeing as I'm sitting in a leaky house, and attending public school, J.K. Rowling is obviously the owner of Harry Potter, being the writer and all... might have tipped you off.**

ALIANA POV

I took a deep breath as I emerged from the pillar marking the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10 of Kings Cross Station, and Platform 9 ¾. _I can't believe, after all this time, I'm really here!_ I hadn't had too many experiences that couldn't be explained in my life, just the odd few here and there, such as moving a book in the middle of the night (I convinced myself it was sleepless hysteria), some interesting things happening to my brother when he pulled a mean prank on me, etc. I pulled my heavy luggage cart behind me, alone again, naturally.

_ALONE AGAIN, NATURALLY!_

_I really need to stop listening to my father's hits from the 70s_. Random musical bursts aside, my parents, still shocked from the sudden news of the existence of magic and their daughter being a witch, had refused to accompany me to the Hogwarts Express. I brought my luggage over to the door, and lugged my trunk up onto the steps, my owl cage rattling against the sides, my owl producing a screeching, indignant sound. I apologized profusely to Tom (my owl), then placed his cage down the hall, proceeding to continue to drag my luggage up the step and into the train proper. I continued to struggle, hearing whispers from those students gathered near me. I ignored them at first, but upon hearing their nature, stopped.

"_Hey, it's that girl, the one who didn't get her letter until this year!_"

"Really, are you sure?"

"_Shhh, Miranda! She might hear us!_"

I blushed scarlet at the attention, and hastily grabbed my trunk and owl cage and hurried to the back of the train. The last six compartments of the train were empty, and I picked the furthest one, and with a struggle and surge of adrenaline managed to swing my luggage up on to the shelf. Placing Tom's cage on the seat, I slid up next to the window, and stared out at the loving parents waving good bye to their children with tears and looks of reassurance down the lot. I waited patiently for the train ride to begin, tears threatening to build up and spill over. _Aliana, stop being a baby. Don't you dare cry_. I pinched my palm repeatedly; an old technique I learned to not show my siblings how much their pranks and words hurt me. It worked, and I continued to stare blankly out the window, loneliness overwhelming me.

Hours into the trip, I heard the squeak of a trolley roll up to the compartment door. I pulled my earbuds from my ear (I was listening to my iPod- "Big Girls Don't Cry", irony much?) as the old woman questioned

"Anything from the trolley dear?"

"No thank you," I responded politely, ignoring the grumbling in my stomach. I didn't have very much wizard money, and had had to travel with Professor McGonagall to Diagon Alley to fetch my robes, wand, owl, and books, my parents begrudgingly paying for it, muttering that I should be grateful they had allowed me to attend Hogwarts at all.

The trolley woman smiled at me, before turning the cart around, and wheeling back up the aisle, humming a jolly tune to herself. This caused me to smile brightly, which slowly faded as I continued through the rest of the train ride in my solitude.

When we finally arrived at Hogwarts, night time had just fallen. I stood up on the seat and swung my luggage back down, nearly crushing myself in the process. I grabbed Tom's cage and pulled my trunk out into the aisle, and then down it, toward the nearest exit. I saw that the six originally empty compartments had been filled since I had first voyaged on to the train, and I tried to keep people from bumping into me as they hurried, excited for the Hogwarts feast. Climbing off the train, Hagrid beckoned me over, and informed me that I had to voyage across with the first years, as it was a right of passage for all Hogwarts students. I nodded my consent, excited to travel across the lake like I should have done three years prior, but mortifyingly embarrassed to have to cross the lake with all the first year, 11 year old students.

I noticed my trunk and owl cage had magically disappeared, and I gasped.

"Takes a 'lil bit of gettin' used to, I reck'n," Hagrid responded, chuckling at my surprise. I climbed into the last boat with Hagrid, and screamed as I saw a shimmer in the water that looked surprisingly like a _giant squid_. I shuddered, and Hagrid laughed more uproariously this time, thoroughly entertained by my distress. I began to sweat, as bad thoughts began to swirl in my head: _What if while getting sorted, you fall off the stool? Get sorted into the worst house? Have no friends? Spend meals alone? Are a complete and utter loner, nobody will like you…._

"You alri'ht?" Hagrid questioned, looking at me curiously. I supposed I looked like I was about to hurl over the side of the boat, directly onto the Giant Squid. At least that would make a good story!

"Yeah, I'm fine," I muttered, attempting to smile and swallow my nerves along with the bile rising in my throat. Did I mention I get seasick?

Finally we arrived at Hogwarts, and we lined up in alphabetical order. Professor McGonagall wandered over, and pulled me out of line.

"Aliana, you'll be going last. Unless you would enjoy being sorted along with the first years?" She questioned, a hint of a smile on her tired features.

"Of course not. Last is fine with me!" I smiled, dashing out of line and toward the end of it. Professor McGonagall released my wrist and smiled after me, before resuming her stern look and stepping forward to break up a fight between three first years toward the front of the line. I sat down up against the banister, and waited for the first years to all be sorted. And waited. And waited. And waited. Finally, Mr. Filch came to get me, his slimy, oily, balding head in desperate need of a shampoo. He lead me up the center aisle between the tables, making me the center of attention and causing the whispers to start up again as I wandered all the way up the very long path to the stool, where my fate resided in a falling apart Sorting Hat. It didn't help that Mr. Filch was holding my wrist and dragging me along like I was wrong-doer he had just caught magically soaping up the stairwell, or feeding Puking Pasties to unsuspecting second years.

Finally, we reached the front and he threw me forward, causing me to stumble. Professor McGonagall and I both turned to glare at the man, but he was already weirdly skipping back down the aisle. It was time to be sorted.

**A/N: HAHAHAHAHA cliffy! Do not despair, like poor Aliana is, and please review! I'll love to know what you think so far! Don't worry, the beginning was rough but the more I get into it, the better it becomes, as is evident by the end of this chapter. Please, no flames, and be kind! This is only my second fanfic! 3**


	3. Arrival at Hogwarts: Part 2

**A/N: Yay! A new chapter! 3rd one today! Wahoo! (Is that a word, "Wahoo"? Whatever, you get the jist.) Okay, just warning you, there is a sudden point of view change in here... And the introduction of James for the first time! Yay Aliana and James fluff!**

I stepped forward at Professor McGonagall's quiet smile of encouragement, and sat down gracefully on the stool. It was at this moment that I caught full wind of just _how many students_ were sitting in the room with me, staring and whispering about me. Silence except for the occasional whisper and obvious betting over which house I'd end up in ensued across the Great Hall, and I swallowed as the sorting had was lowered onto my head. On a first year, this hat would have slid down over the ears and therefore the eyes making me look absolutely ridiculous; as I'm sure it had for every student in this room, and more recently the new ones. On a fourth year, as I was, the hat fit, albeit still largely, more comfortably on my head. I was glad of this, however any good feelings faded as the Sorting Hat began to whisper in my ear.

"_Well, you are a strange one. Tsk, tsk, the pain you have felt. Oh, I sympathize with you,"_ the Sorting Hat whispered eerily in my ear. I felt a touch of sadness at his words.

_Yeah, well, at least I'm not a ratty old talking hat. No offense._ I thought, sure he could hear me.

"_Ouch. Feisty one, this young lady. Maybe I ought to put you in Slytherin,_" he slithered. I did not wince, as he expected, but a fourth of me was glad, as for a while when I was young I pretended I was part of Slytherin house and my father was a death eater. I had spent phases as a student in each of the houses.

"_Hmm… well this is difficult. You aren't very brave, but you will stand up for what you believe in. You aren't crafty, except when you want to be. You are certainly smart, but also kind hearted and humble..._" I was shocked at how conflicted the sorting hat sounded – it wasn't supposed to go like this, was it? The sorting hat continued to mutter to itself, unintelligibly now, except for few, choice words. I began to get worried, and glancing up, I noticed that Professor McGonagall's face had turned to a frown, as well as the whispers had picked up in fervor, all wondering _Why is it taking so long for her to get sorted?_ I was wondering the same thing. Finally, the Sorting House responded.

"_UNSORTABLE!_" He yelled, causing Professor Sprout to jump a good foot in the air. The mouths of all the students dropped in shock and silence completely overtook the Great Hall. _I guess I really don't belong anywhere_. A solitary tear streaked down my face, and I sneakily wiped it away.

I stood up, saying "Great. Just great," in an saddened, angry tone, dropping the hat back on the stool, and hovering there for a minute before sprinting toward the door next to the Teacher's table.

"Wait! Aliana –" the Headmistress called, her voice getting lost the farther I sprinted away from her, away from everything in that room and that had just happened. I wracked my brain hastily for where I should go, and remembered the Room of Requirement was on the Seventh Floor. Figuring the Great Hall was on the Ground Floor, and considering that I was in Britain, (so the succession of the floors went Ground Floor, First Floor, Second…) I sprinted up the stairs. When I finally reached what I believed to be the Seventh Floor, I run up and down the hallway, desperately thinking of the room I needed. After several tries, I turned into a nook, and sunk down to the floor, exhausted and weeping.

_Meanwhile, in the Great Hall_

Professor McGonagall watched as Aliana fled the room, a plan already formulating in her mind. She knew it would be pointless to send the teachers to search the entirety of the school, and it would take far too long. She motioned for James Potter to join her up at the Teacher's table as all hell broke loose in the Great Hall.

"Potter, I know your father gave you a certain _**map**_," Professor McGonagall hinted. James nodded, understanding immediately what needed to be done, though shocked at the Headmistress' knowledge of said map.

"I'll find her," he said, pulling the Marauder's Map out of his cloak and racing off through the side door.

"NO, POTTER, I MEANT GIVE ME THE MAP – Oh, never mind, I'M COMING AFTER YOU!" The Professor yelled after the retreating figure of the boy, turning to the teachers to assemble them.

Meanwhile, James Potter was racing down the hall. He was extremely grateful that his father, the great Harry Potter, had given him the map, not just because it was acting as a force of good in this instance, but also because of all the successful pranks he had been able to pull off on his fellow students, cousins, and siblings because of it. He was a prankster at heart, along with his partner in crime, Fred, brother to Roxanne who was also in their friend group. Along with them was Ash Wood, Oliver Wood's son, and Lae Jordan, Lee Jordan's son. James, although a prankster, was good-hearted, and known as a goody-goody around school, except when he was maliciously pranking and in detention for such pranking, which was almost all the time. He was also known as a player, and hated it when people begged for his attention because of the identity of his father.

Anyway, he felt sorry for this new girl. It seemed like she'd been through a lot, especially recently. Yet she held her head high, and kept on going. He knew she was probably hurting right now. Glancing down at the map, he saw she was on the Seventh floor, in a nook. He ran faster, and soon was nearby. He heard muffled crying, and tucking his wand and Marauder's Map back into his cloak, after a quick muttering of "Mischief Managed", he had found her. Tears were streaming down her face in rapid succession, and she was hugging herself. Looking at her, he just knew she had done this before, frequently in fact. His heart ached at such a sight, and as she turned her watery eyes up toward him, he slid down next to her and enveloped her in a side hug.

Shocked but strangely comforted by his warmth, she froze, but then reached up hastily to wipe away her tears, struggling against his grasp a little, and began to pinch her palm once more to stop herself from crying. James raised his hand to stop her from pinching herself, and Aliana felt a jolt of electricity when his hand grabbed hers. He shifted a little uncomfortably for a second, and she could tell he felt it too.

"Stop – STOP," James exclaimed. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to stop crying!" I told him angrily, rather defensive. "I'm fine, okay?" I struggled to stand up, but his arms remained clamped around me, perfectly shaping around me.

"You're so weird!" He exclaimed, dragging me down to sit next to him again. "Aren't you supposed to turn your head into my shoulder, and continue to cry your eyes out, and I pat you on the back and tell you it's all going to be fine?"

"What romance novel have YOU been reading?" I accused him, struggling to stand up once more. This time he released me from his arms, and I smoothed my robes.

"There's nothing for me to be upset about, so me crying is just me being stupid!" I exclaimed, unsure of why I was yelling at him. Now that I thought back on it, he had just come to comfort me.

"Listen to me," he said seriously, putting his hands on my shoulders. "You. Are. Not. Stupid."

He stared into her blue green eyes, realizing how close he really was to her face. He noticed for the first time how beautiful she really was, even with her puffy eyes, red from crying. Her long dark brown hair fell in waves around her face, and there were threads of gold all throughout her hair. There were a few freckles across her face, and he stared at her in awe, his eyes at last settling on her lips. If he just moved forward an inch, he would be touching them…

"There you are, Aliana! Potter!" Professor McGonagall called, just coming around the corner. James jumped back, his hands falling from Aliana's shoulders, as he turned toward the Headmistress.

"Potter, what were you… never mind," Professor McGonagall finished hurriedly, seeing the slight blush filling both students' cheeks. "We must discuss what we are going to do with you, Ms. Aliana."

"You're not kicking me out?" Aliana questioned in awe.

"That's what you were worried about?" James questioned, all of his attention immediately turning to Aliana. Aliana turned to him.

"Not really… just a slight worry honestly," Aliana answered him.

"Then what were you –"

"Potter! Walker! You can finish this conversation on the way to the Headmaster's- I mean my office," Professor McGonagall interrupted. A momentary sad look clouded her eyes following her mistake.

"Yes, Professor," they answered in unison, heads hung. A wry smile broke across the Professor's face at this, and she turned quickly and led them down the hall.

**A/N: Good chapter? Bad chapter? Let me know! Anyway, aren't Aliana and James just so adorable! Even their names sound good together! There couple name could be Aliames! OR Jaliana! Or... or... Yeah, I think that's it. Anyway, please tell me what you think! Oh, and any suggestions or predictions you might have as to what they're gonna do to Aliana... I mean where is she gonna eat? Sleep? What about points taken off for when she breaks rules? Food for thought.**


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